The Visitor
by scottsman
Summary: When Stevie is hurt do to a prank gone wrong she is rescued by a mysterious boy that no one else believes is real.when the horses start getting sick with a mysterious sickness will he be friend or foe?
1. Chapter 1

The day dawned clear and bright over the pine hollow riding stables. Max Regnery the owner of the stables was up with the sun. So was Red O'Malley the head stable hand they began the chores of feeding the horses and getting ready for the day's activities. As Red was making his rounds checking on the horses he discovered a new horse. It was a beautiful white Arabian stallion.

"Hey, Max, "he said, "Who is this?" Max came walking down the aisle between the stalls he broke into a smile when he saw the horse.

"That is Wind Dancer," said Max, "he belongs to Dana Bennett she's the daughter of, Nathan Bennett, an old school buddy of mine." Red's eyes widened

"The famous Dr. Nathan Bennett is an old friend of yours!" he said Max nodded

"Dana and Wind Dancer arrived last night after you had turned in," said Max, "so I took care of it. Dana came here instead of going to the medical conference with her father."

Lisa Carole and Stevie, the illustrious Saddle Club were in the middle of tacking up their horses when Dana walked by leading Wind Dancer.

"Oh what a beautiful horse!" Lisa gushed.

"Thank you," said Dana with a smile, "his name is Wind Dancer." the girls gathered around and introduced themselves to Dana and Wind Dancer. They invited Dana to ride with them. They led their horse out of the stables once out side the mounted up and started out toward their favorite trail talking as they went.

"Who was that girl with the blonde hair and the bad attitude?" asked Dana

"That's Veronica DiAngelo," Said Stevie, "she's just your typical spoiled rich brat. Don't let her get to you." as Stevie said this she stuck her right hand into her pocket looking for her bag of jelly beans. Instead she found a note, it read,

**Stevie, **

**Meet me at High Rock Point I have a surprise for you,**

**Yours, Phil**

Stevie broke into a smile,

"Look's like I'm going to high rock point!" when they reached the fork in the trail Stevie steered Belle toward the left fork.

"I'll see you guys' later." with that the she brought Belle to a canter. Not one of them noticed two smirking faces that were watching Stevie from behind a tree.

"She bought the note hook line and sinker," snickered Kristy

"Yeah," said Veronica, "and by the time she figures out that the note was fake she'll have already made a fool of herself."

10 minutes Later Stevie reached top of high rock point she sat in the saddle looking out over the valley. In front of her was a sheer rock faced cliff if someone fell over it they wouldn't stop until they either hit the bottom or the wide ledge that was about 24 feet down the face of the cliff. Stevie turned bell and started toward the trees. Suddenly there was a loud metallic snap. Belle cried out and reared violently and Stevie was thrown from the Saddle, she hit the ground hard and the force of her momentum carried her over the side of the cliff. The last thing she saw was the ledge coming toward her.

Belle had fallen on to her side and was still trying to get free of the merciless grip of the steel trap that she had stepped in.

Suddenly two hands gripped the trap and pulled it open. The two hands that had pulled the trap open belonged to a teenaged boy who appeared to be about fifteen years-old. Behind him stood his horse a white Arabian stallion.

"Easy girl," he said as the horse stood up, "Let's take a look at that leg of yours." he started toward her leg but she backed away. He tried again but she backed away each time.

"What's the matter with you girl," the boy said gently, "you seem to know that I'm not going to head toward the edge of the cliff. The boy walked to the cliff and peered over the edge. As soon as he did he caught sight of Stevie who lay unconscious on the ledge below.

"So that's it," said the boy with a nod of understanding, "you figure that your young mistress down there is hurt worse than you are so you want me to stop worrying about you and start worrying about her." Belle nodded. He patted Belle on the neck,

"Don't worry girl," he said, "I'll tend to your Mistress." with that he turned and stepped over the edge of the cliff and dropped the 24 feet too the ledge. He landed the jump like it was nothing and walked over to Stevie. He looked her over carefully. Suddenly glowing electric green rings seem to appear in the back of the boys eyes. They stayed there for several seconds then they disappeared.

"She's lucky," he said to himself, "all she broke was her wrist, and because of that helmet the concussion is minor. It's a good thing that max always had that rule about no riding with out a helmet."

The boy reached and pulled Stevie's tennis shoes off of her and used them to splint her wrist. Then slipping his hand under her he picked her up like it didn't take any effort.

Stevie moaned slightly and began to regain consciousness. She opened her eyes to find herself cradled in the arms of a very handsome boy. As she began to fade into semi consciousness she felt the boy's muscles tense and release. The next time she opened her eyes she was fully conscious and at the top of the cliff. She looked up and sapphire blue eyes met chocolate brown ones. The chocolate browns turned up in a kind smile.

"Hi," she said shyly.

"Hi," he said

"What happened?" she said becoming aware of the throbbing in her body.

"Well," he said with a mischievous smile, "it seems that gravity just tried to kill you!"

"Belle my horse," Stevie screeched, "Is she alright what happened, why did she rear like that?"

"Well," Said the boy, "it seems that she stepped in a steel trap. She's going to be just fine though, it wasn't a saw-toothed trap so the wound is really nothing more than a cut on her leg. An antibiotic shot and a day or two to rest and she'll be as good as new." the boy put Stevie down and walked over to Belle and looked at the cut.

"She wouldn't let me bother with her wound until I got you up off that ledge." he said over his shoulder as he tied a clean handkerchief around the wound. "You've got yourself a good horse here."

Max and other girls came running out to meet Stevie when she emerged from the woods leading Belle. Max called the vet for Belle then took Stevie to the hospital to have a proper cast put on her wrist. Her thoughts raced as she thought back over the events of the day.

_How did he get me up off that ledge? I never saw any rope. I remember one thing though it felt like he contracted his body slightly then released it. It was like a person does when they're going to jump. But he couldn't have jumped; nobody could have jumped 24 feet straight up by themselves let alone with someone in their arms. _

Later as the girls sat in the lounge Stevie told her story. Veronica was incredulous,

"Do you honestly expect us to believe that some dream boat on a white horse came to your rescue?" Veronica sneered before she turned and walked out of the room.

"Surely you believe me," Stevie said to Carole and Lisa, they shifted nervously in their seats.

Stevie threw up her hands,

"Oh great," she snapped, "My best friends don't even believe me!"

"Well," said Lisa, "you have to admit that it does seem a little far fetched."

Stevie didn't say anything she just turned and stomped from the room. She didn't stop until she reached Belle's stall.

"They don't believe me, Belle." she sniffled.

Meanwhile back in the lounge Dana who had been listening from the kitchen placed her index finger on her chin.

"_A handsome brown-haired hero in blue denim,"_ she thought, "_that description sounds suspiciously familiar." _

After her riding lesson Stevie struck out on her own trying to find her mysterious benefactor. She search every inch of the trail, but couldn't find a thing.

Just then as she rounded a corner in the trail she came face to face with Clay and Sledge a couple of unsightly characters who worked for Barton Powell a business tycoon who own a chemical plant and several race horses. Around Pine Hollow it was a known fact that Max and Red didn't like Powell or anyone associated with him. Before Stevie could react one of them grabbed belles halter.

"Well, well," Sneered sledge, "What do we have here?"

"A Pine Hollow girl," sneered his buddy in response.

"And a pretty one too," said Sledge

"Maybe we should keep her." Clay said with an evil leer. They started at her.

"Leaver her alone!" snapped another voice.

"Who said that!" snapped Sledge looking around.

"Look up." The voice said. When sledge looked up he saw a teenage boy reclining on a tree on a wide tree limb some thirty feet above them.

"Leave her alone." said the boy, "unless you want me to come down there and start busting heads!"

"I'd like to see you try it!" Jeered Sledge the boy shrugged and pushed off the limb that was sitting on. He dropped the thirty feet to the ground, landing the jump like it was nothing. Clay and sledge were taken back by this, but only temporarily. Clay strode up to the boy and swung for the boy's face. Stevie cringed expecting to see the boy go down. Instead with a lightning fast move he caught Clay's fist in the palm of his hand. Clay, enraged at having his punch stopped so easily, swung with his other fist. The boy ducked under the punch, grabbed Clay by the belt and the scruff of the neck and threw him on top of sledge. Before the two roughnecks could get back on their feet the boy pulled them up by their collars and banged their heads together. They slumped to the ground unconscious. The boy brushed himself off and shrugged.

"They can't say that I didn't warn them." He said

He turned to Stevie,

"Are you alright, Miss?" he asked

"Y-Yes," Stevie stammered, shaking herself out of her daze, "I'm Levie Stake, I-I mean Stevie Lake." She looked down at the saddle as the color rose in her cheeks

_Why did he have to be so darned handsome?_ She thought. When she looked the boy was nowhere to be seen.

"He did it to me again!" Stevie groaned

_Will the girls at pine hollow ever believe Stevie?_

_TBC_

_Would should meet our mysterious hero next should it be Stevie again or one of the other girls?_

_What does Dana the New girl know?_

_**Let me know what you think, help me write the story.**_

_**Scottsman**_


	2. Chapter 2

Visitor

Chapter 2

Max Regnery stood in his office looked out the window that over looked the practice ring. The moonlight glistened off the white fence rails of the ring. Max, however hardly noticed the serene scene before him. His mind was elsewhere.

"Either you've got something on your mind, Max, or that is very interesting jumping ring," said a quiet but amused voice behind him. Max, brought out of his musings, turned to see the boy in blue denim standing just inside the doorway of the office.

"Michael," said Max with a smile, "From Stevie's description of her mysterious benefactor this morning and earlier this afternoon it sounded like you were here."

"Shh," hissed Michael, "keep it quiet!"

"Are you worried about, Dana?" said Max

"You're the one who should be worried, Max." said Michael, "If my hellcat sister finds out that you hired me to investigate Powell without telling her, your life won't be worth much."

"Oh come on," said Max, "She wouldn't really be that mad would she?"

Michael gave Max a-you -wanna- bet look. Max's eyebrows shot into his hairline.

"Okay," said Max, "Mum's the word."

"Now Max," said Michael, "you still haven't told me why you want me to investigate Powell. I mean none of the other equestrians in the valley like him either but for you it has always seemed like there was more."

Max took a deep breath that came out it a sigh.

"Michael," he said motioning for Michael to close the door, "I'm going to tell you something that I've never told anyone before."

Michael pulled up a chair and Max continued,

"To start with," said Max, "I know that its common knowledge that I was once a member of the Olympic equestrian team, but what is not known is the real reason that I left the team right before the games." Max drew a breath and went on,

"I was sent to Europe to put the finishing touches on my skills at some of the most prestigious riding schools in the world. While I was in Spain I was studying dressage at the School of Senor Fernando de la Cruz. That is where I had my first encounter with Barton Powell." Max scowled at his own mention of the name.

Mike motion for Max to continue. Max pushed back his emotions and went on.

"Barton Powell was filthy rich even then. He owned a hacienda on a hill next door to the school. He was always over at the school trying to by horses from Senor de la Cruz. I didn't think much about it right at first. Then I went one weekend to the local races. A Powell owned horse won every race. That struck me as odd. Then as I was on my way out of the stands I saw Powell personal vet adjusting is coat. Inside were several test tubes with bright blue caps that contained a clear liquid.

He never knew that I saw him. A few days later I got up early one morning and when to check on Echo, my horse at the time. I found Echo and several other horses dead out in the paddock. Nearby on the ground I found one of those blue caps. I realized that my suspicions were true. Barton Powell was drugging his horses. He had used my horse and all the others as guinea pigs while he tried to make an even stronger concoction.

I called the police and told them what I knew, but someone must have tipped Powell off. All the evidence of what he had been up to conveniently disappeared before the cops got there."

"I get it," said Michael, "now that Powell has set up shop next door again you figure it's only a matter of time before he's up to his old tricks again."

"Right," said Max, "and there is no way that I am going to let what happened to me happen to one of these girls."

"Well," said Michael, "I have to say that tracks with what I've seen going on over at the Powell estate. Powell has been trucking in all sorts of veterinary equipment. I plan to sneak over there later tonight and take a closer look at the stuff."

"All right," said Max as he stood up, "But be careful." As Max stood up he inadvertently knocked an envelope off his desk. He bent down to pick it up. There was a sound like a light gust of wind and when Max looked up Michael was nowhere to be seen.

Max went to the door of the office, stuck his head through the doorway and looked this way and that, but there was no sign of Michael.

"I hate it when he does that!" snapped Max about the time he said that Dana and the Saddle Club came walking past the stairs. They stopped, looked at Max and gave him a quizzical look. Max gave a nervous smile and pulled his head back into the office.

Three of the girls shrugged it off, but they didn't see Dana's eyes lock on Max's door and narrow."

Just then Dorothee came walking by leading Hugo.

"Bonjour, Dana," she said, "How are you?"

"Suspicious," replied Dana, before smiling and walking away leaving Dorothee completely confused.

**TBC**

**Will Michael be able to Stop Powell or will Powell get away with it again.**

**Will Dana kill or just injure Max and Michael when she finds out what's going on?****:D**

**How will the Pine Hollow Crew protect their horses?**

**STAY TUNED, AND PLEASE REVIEW!**


	3. Chapter 3

Visitor

Chapter 3

A figure moved silently through the shadows near the 15 foot high fence that surrounded Powell's property. Suddenly the figure shot up into the air and over the fence to land on Pine Hollow land. The figure was Michael; he moved back into the woods and paused to examine two things in his hand. On was a thin glass vile with a blue top on it and the other was a small legal pad. His eyes magnified the light many more times that a normal until he could plainly make out the impressions on the pad left from the previous page which had been torn off.

A series of letters had been written on the paper, B, S, P, H, B, P, C, G, instantly he made the connection it was one of the benefits of his photographic memory. The names of the horses he had seen at Pine Hollow earlier that evening when he passed their stalls. Belle, Starlight, Prancer, Hugo, Barq, Patch, Comanche, Garnet!"

#

Michael stood in Max's office for the second time that night showing Max the legal pad. Max took a penciled and rubbed the soft lead on the page bringing out the impressions so that he could read them.

"This definitely proves that Powell is about to resume his devious doping operation," said Max, "the Problem is we don't know when."

"I don't think it'll be tonight or tomorrow night," said Michael, "because the local riding tournament is going to be held here tomorrow and the day after, there's too big a risk of being seen with all the extra riders around."

"I agree," Said Max, "but just in case I want you to come out in the open and ride in the tournament keep an eye on things from the inside.

"All right," said Michael, "I'll go back to my campsite and get my gear and my horse. I'll be back in an hour."

"Great," said Max, he turned to his desk to look at the accommodations list, "I'll put you in bunkhouse number 2." Once again as Max was saying all this there was the sound of a light gust of wind. Max turned to find his office empty.

"Great," said Max throwing up his hands, "I'm talking to myself again."

The girls were all bedded down in the lounge. Since the tournament was the next day they had all decided to spend the night. Kristy and Veronica were sitting on the couch filing their nails.

"Boy," Stevie said leaning over to Carol and Lisa, who were sitting on their sleeping bags next to her, "If their noses were stuck up any farther they'd fall over backwards." The three best friends got along as long as they didn't talk about Stevie's mysterious hero. It was still a touchy subject. Fortunately Stevie's broken wrist was only a hairline fracture. The small cast on her wrist would still allow her to ride in the competition tomorrow.

Stevie was wearing light blue pajamas, Lisa was wearing a white night shirt with a large Galloping horse on the front of it, and Carol was wearing a Lavender nightshirt with rearing horses on it. Veronica was wearing a fancy night gown and an expensive silk robe ditto for Kristy. They were the frilliest things the Saddle club girls had ever seen.

The girls couldn't help wondering why Veronica was here tonight. She didn't need to be to compete in the tournament. Sometimes the girls suspected Veronica of having more affection for Pine Hollow that she would ever admit to.

Lisa Carole and Stevie decided to go and see their horses. Slipped out of lounge they headed to the barn. They reached the barn and headed for their horses stalls. They were standing there talking to their horses with they heard the sound of a horse outside approaching the barn. The hoof beats stopped and there was the sound of dismounting and feet hitting the ground. Then footsteps with the sound of a walking horse behind them. Into the light from the darkness outside walked a boy in blue denim leading a sliver-white grey stallion behind him.

"You!" Stevie exclaimed.

Michael Smiled.

"Hello, Stevie," he said. Carol and Lisa looked at Stevie and then back at Michael.

"You mean," said Lisa, "that he's."

"Yes," said Stevie, "This is the guy that I've been telling you about!"

"He's real?!" Said Carol

"Yes," said Michael, "He's also standing right here."

"Sorry," said Carole, "sheepishly."

"What's your name?" Asked Stevie.

"Michael," answered Michael with a smile he turned and started putting his horse in the empty stall next to Belle.

"This," said Michael motioning to his horse, "Is Thunder." The girls crowded around Michael and introduced themselves to him and to thunder.

Michael removed Thunders tack and carried it off toward the tack room after promising to meet the girls in the lounge in a few minutes. He entered the tack room and had just set his saddle down when he was jumped from behind. Before he could react his was on his back and Dana was sitting on his chest.

"I knew it, I knew it," snapped Dana, "When I heard Stevie's description of you as well as your ability to disappear the minute her head was turned I knew you had to be here!"

Michael grabbed his sister and threw her up in the air, then moving at lightning speed, he Jumped to his feet and caught her in time to set her gently on her feet.

"What are you doing here?" she growled

"I'll fill you in on the way back to the lounge," said Michael herding his sister toward the door.

In the lounge Veronica and Kristy were still sitting on the couch, but right now they were rolling their eyes as the three members of the saddle club tried to convince them that Stevie's mysterious hero was real!

"Oh come on," said Veronica, "Do you really expect us to believe that this guy is real just because you've got the rest of the Saddle Club to agree with you now, how stupid do you think we are?"

Just then the door opened and Michael, with his bedroll over his shoulder walked in behind Dana.

"What's all the commotion?" Michael asked walking toward Stevie and the girls.

"Veronica and Kristy don't think that the mysterious hero who saved me twice is real?" Stevie replied.

Michael turned and walked into Veronica and Kristy's line of sight.

"You don't think he's real," he said, "Well of course he's real."

"How would you know?" snapped Kristy

"Because he's me." Michael retorted. As soon as he said that the Jeans and blue denim Jacket he was wearing clicked in the heads of the spoiled blondes. Two finger nail files and two jaws simultaneously hit the floor.

Michael flashed a smile and said,

"If you ladies will excuse me, I think I'll bed down for the night." Turning around Michael walked over to the far side of the lounge. Stooping down he rolled out his sleeping back and pulling off everything but his white undershirt and his boxers he slid into his sleeping back.

"Doesn't make you nervous or embarrassed that we were all here just now?" Lisa Blurted breaking the stunned silence that had settled over the room.

"Lady," said Michael with a chuckle as he sat up and turned toward them, "you're looking at a guy you has grown up with a sister who has pulled everything in the book on him and then some and who has been dragging her friends into the house and into my bedroom more times that I can remember. So to answer your question, No, Knowing my sister, Dana if I had gone into the other room to change into my pajamas she would have jerked the door open on me and you would have seen me in my boxers anyway."

With that Michael Smiled and said Good night. Then he lay down, rolled over, and went to sleep. Stevie turned to Dana.

"Did you really do all those things to him?" Dana grinned

"He's my brother," she said, "Which naturally makes him one of my favorite targets."

The next morning the girls found Kristy in the barn waiting by Thunder's stall.

"What are you doing here?" said Carol, her eyes narrowing.

"Michael went with Max this morning to help some riders whose truck broke down on the road north of here, so Veronica, is going to exercise thunder." Snorted Kristy. Thunder nickered from the open door of his stall were he stood fully tacked up.

"Does he know that Veronica's going to exercise his horse?" Said Carol incredulously

"Why don't you mind your own business!" snapped Kristy Just then Veronica appeared looking as haughty as ever she was all decked out in yet another new riding outfit. Riding crop in hand she started toward Thunder just as she reached him Thunder reared violently and began to thrash about as if he had gone crazy. Veronica fell to the ground her helmet and crop going in opposite direction's Thunder advanced on her, and reared again, veronica dove for the stairs that led to the hayloft.

As soon as she was up the stairs Thunder turned and galloped out the door and disappeared toward the woods.

An hour later when Michael got back he was met by the saddle club.

"Michael," they said, their faces ashen, "Thunder when crazy when Veronica tried to ride him earlier he took off for the woods. Veronica told her father and he went and hired a man to find thunder and kill him!"

TBC Please Review


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